Crouched

11" x 13", acrylic on paper. Ref image by Robert Triboli

A feet study that I didn't post here previously

This was painted in November. Best to see it at full resolution.

19" x 12", acrylic on canvas paper.
Ref image by JonMann in DA

Torso studies... (updated Dec 13, '11)

A3, conte

A3. conte on watercolor background

A3, water-soluble crayon base, finished with conte and pastel

Ref images for 1 - 3 by John K. (Cable9tuba in DA.)

A3, water-color base, Conte

A3, conte, pastel background

Ref images for 4 and 5 by Andy (andyf451 in DA)

A3, charcoal pencils, water-soluble pencils

Studying Prud'hon - Old Master Studies, post 5

Studying Pierre Paul Prud'hon...

A3, conte.

Normally, 'heads' are not supposed to be posted here..

...since the 'censors' allow me to post them elsewhere, but I thought... why not here too! So here are four head studies I did yesterday, on 11" x 10" white cartridge. Ref images were provided by Luicre (who has kindly commented on this blog) in a weekly drawing event at WC.

  Sanguine Conte. Derwent drawing pencil for background 

  8B graphite (washable). Staedtler watercolor pencil for BG.

  Black Conte. Shifted her gaze a bit 

  8B graphite and Derwent sanguine stump (also in the BG) 

Hatching and gesture...

Was exploring values with close hatching...

A3, black conte. Water-color pencil for background

A3, sanguine conte. Pastel pencil for background

A3, black conte pencil. Water-color pencil for background

Also including a couple of quick gesture studies...

A3, sanguine conte.

Basically, a gesture study with some volume...

All studies referenced from images by Marcus Ranum (mjranum in DA).

Old master studies - post 4

Another Master Study of the three graces... unfortunately, I'm unaware whom I'm studying :(

A3, sanguine conte. Watercolor pencil for background

Animation: Step by step demo of a Prud'hon study drawing

For this 1.5 hour sketch (animation extra) I followed my post on 14 steps to Figure Drawing. This is a study of a drawing by Pierre-Paul Prud'hon for an ongoing web forum project.

Conte on A3 size paper. Please allow the entire animation to download (821 kb) for smoother play. Frames change at 2 sec delay.

Standing pose studies

Quickish standing pose studies.....

A3, conte. Color pencil background for image on the left.
Ref images by Almudena_stock and Huitphotography in DA

A few more figure sketches from today

A3, compressed charcoal, watercolor
pencil for background.   Ref images
(pics 1 and 2) by Jon Mann in DA  

A3, conte. Pastel for background

A3, Derwent drawing pencils
  Ref image by Stateofundress in DA 

A3. Conte and compressed charcoal

.

Updating last post - form study of Michelangelo's Ignudi

Continuation of this post... I used Staedtler's graphite and Conte carbone pencil for the shading.

Shape study of Michelangelo's ignudi

Michelangelo's ignudi in the Sistine Chapel... a breathless display of talent and wisdom bordering on  enlightenment. I've tried to only minimally indicate form (maybe I'll explore form in a later study), staying true to shapes through lines. I realized that every bump, every crease has a reason... a reflection of his deep knowledge of anatomy. I'd suggest (humbly) every aspiring figure artist (like me) to study these nudes... the experience is almost transcendental - its like you're transported across ages and geography to the nearness of that Master of masters, as if you're a mute witness, while his hands work through your clumsy limbs to describe these amazing shapes on paper.

All are on A3 size paper with Conte (water-color background for no. 2)

Studies of various versions of Venus

A3, conte

A3, Conte, water-soluble
pencil for background

Approx A3 size, conte.
Acrylic and conte for background

A3, conte drawing, light watercolor wash

Old Master Studies - post 3 (updated May 12, '13)

(UPDATED with an older acrylic study of sculpted torso - please see below)

After Leonard Kern's sculptural interpretation of Three Graces.

A3 size, conte

After Antonio Canova's Three Graces - study in Payne's Gray and Titatinum White

16" x 12" acrylic on canvas paper

Study of cast (image); artist unknown.

Approx A4 size, graphite.

UPDATED on May 12, '13, old image. Acrylic on paper | 55 cm x 35 cm
  (Ref image by Jessica in DA) 

Close up...

Old Master Studies - post 2

The first set of studies are posted here.

A3, conte, after Gerson Wojciech (Polish painter, 1831-1901)

Looking at Mona Lisa's smile...

Well, that's hardly a novel activity! Millions already have, and millions will in the future, whether the original painting stays up or crumbles to dust. Her smile has been familiarized almost to the point of boredom, and yet, while flipping though pics of old master works for study reference I thought... why not study her? So here's that sketch, and afterwards I made those graphics while responding to a query by a friend.

I realized that Leo has used a set of three curves, arranged in groups to get that particular expression. I found the same mechanism, albeit much less obvious in Dominique Ingres' Mademoiselle Riviere. Mona Lisa has a softer, melting expression, add to that the effect of the incident light, which makes the 'curves' more obvious in her case.

pic 1.

pic 2. The 'curves'...

pic 3. The areas affected emphasized

Old Master Studies (re-updated on 11.11.11)...

Mostly Conte stumps and pencils, on A3 size paper. UPDATED with Anders Zorn studies

1. Study of unknown master work

2. Canova's three graces

3. Study of unknown
Master work

4. After Zorn

5. After Zorn

6.  After Zorn

7. An older one, updating on May '12... Michelangelo's slave: